Inspector General Warns Public About Caller-ID “Spoofing” Scheme Misusing SSA Customer Service Number
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: October 22, 2018
The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is warning citizens about an ongoing caller-ID “spoofing” scheme misusing the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) national customer service phone number. SSA has received numerous reports of questionable phone calls displaying SSA’s 1-800 number on a caller-ID screen. This is a scam; citizens should not engage with those calls or provide any personal information.
These reports indicate the calls display the 1-800-772-1213, SSA’s national customer service number, as the incoming number on caller ID. People who have accepted the calls said the caller identifies as an SSA employee. In some cases, the caller states that SSA does not have all of the person’s personal information, such as their Social Security number (SSN), on file. Other callers claim SSA needs additional information so the agency can increase the person’s benefit payment, or that SSA will terminate the person’s benefits if they do not confirm their information. This appears to be a widespread issue, as reports have come from citizens across the country.
SSA employees do contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes, and in some situations, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone. However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information or promise a Social Security benefit approval or increase in exchange for information. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.
“This caller-ID spoofing scheme exploits SSA’s trusted reputation, and it shows that scammers will try anything to mislead and harm innocent people,” Stone said. “I encourage everyone to remain watchful of these schemes and to alert family members and friends of their prevalence. We will continue to track these scams and warn citizens, so that they can stay several steps ahead of these thieves.”
The Acting Inspector General urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report
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Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
Andrew Cannarsa, OIG Communications Director
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Mario S.
I recieved a “request” for information via the mail. The mailing stated it was a second attempt. (no first attempt could be found.) It threatened it may cut off benefits if I do not answer it. It claimed its reply to address to be from a PO box in Wilkes Barre PA. However since no list of offical mailing addresses can be found from the official website and there is over a 1 hour wait time on the phone there is no way to confirm said mailing is from the SS administration. The description of an official letter here, https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-notices-ussi.htm is useless because what the letter looks like it is who the letter returned too that matters.
I don’t trust my email’s security & privacy thus I will put a false link below as the option to leave it blank doesn’t exist.
R.F.
Hello Mario. The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains Central Operations offices at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Among performing other tasks, the Office of Central Operations is a data processing center assisting with disability claims, computation of benefits and earnings records information.
There are different mailing addresses to various components of the Office of Central Operations at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Generally, when we send you a notice, we also include a return envelope with the address of the component working your case.
Do not ignore the notice. When calling our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, you will -generally- experience a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks!
Mario S.
Without a way to confirm the exact P.O. Box is actually assigned to Social Security Administration I won’t be mailing anything to it. What is to prevent a scammer from renting a P.O. Box from the same post office?
The “form” appears to be blend of a legitimate form & the sort of fonts and addons that some sketchy “free” insurance offers had. (Including an oversized 70’s style asterix, “no apparrent reason for 22222” in a box & the second notice warning when there wasn’t a first mailing.) It gives me the impression of being a prequel to a phishing attempt.
I’ve tried calling the number you posted before I got a reply, as it was on this website and got a wait time estimate of 1 hour, 15 minutes. The last time I got that estimate I was on the phone for over 2 hours. Does my cell phone/only phone have the endurance to wait that long? I remember getting disconnected another time calling 45 minutes into waiting because of the battery’s charge ran out.
I can’t seem to find a reply envelope with that mailing.
I may end up trying to schedule a visit to a local SSA office and let them look at the letter.
And of coarse the post office’s policy is to not provide information on a P.O. box so I can’t get the info from there.
Once again I will not be putting a real email address because I don’t trust the privacy and security of my ISP & email provider.
Shirley B.
I received a phone call this morning from the # 2105917610 with this message: Your social securiytt number for fraudulent activities. So when you get this message kindly call us back on our hotline number 210-591-7610. I repeat that is 210-591-7610. Don’t disregard this notice and do return the call before we begin with the legal proceedings against you. Thank you.
R.F.
Hello Shirley. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen to confirm personal information over the phone.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which receives and analyzes public complaints related to identity theft, recently reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
If a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Todd s.
This is so true I got a call just yesterday claiming that they needed my social security number to verify my name I never told them that that was pii and they would not get nothing from me they then hung up on me so yes this is very true
R.F.
Thank you for your comment, Todd!
Just a reminder, if a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
Linda
How do I know that it is really social security calling and it s scam
R.F.
Hello Linda. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which receives and analyzes public complaints related to identity theft, recently reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
If a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Amy C.
“SSA employees do not contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes, and in some situations, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone. ” — Do you mean SSA employees DO contact citizens by phone?
R.F.
Hello Amy, Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen confirm personal information over the phone.
SSA employees will not request money or sensitive personal information from an individual over the telephone.
If a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Ann J.
I have now received 3 calls in 2 hours about the SSA suspending my soc sec number due to criminal activity. The calls are from 402-396-4064, Pilger, NE. The voicemail left is from a robotic voice, but all 3 voicemails have been slightly different.
R.F.
Thank you for sharing this information, Ann. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen to confirm personal information over the phone.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which receives and analyzes public complaints related to identity theft, recently reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
If a person has questions about any communication—email, letter, text or phone call—that claims to be from SSA or the OIG, please contact your local Social Security office, or call Social Security’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to verify its legitimacy (TTY number at 1-800-325-0778). Citizens may -also- report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Joe D.
I just received a call from someone saying my Social Security number has been in jeopardy or something like that. I know this is a fraud and a scam but how do I stop these calls? This number is 855-921-7088. I have not given out any information.
R.F.
Hello Joe. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen to confirm personal information over the phone.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which receives and analyzes public complaints related to identity theft, recently reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
Citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Carol B.
I received a call saying that something had been
filed against my Soc Sec number and I needed ti
call a number immediately. This was about a
week ago. I did NOT call that number.
R.F.
Hello Carol. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen to confirm personal information over the phone.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which receives and analyzes public complaints related to identity theft, recently reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
If a person has questions about any communication—email, letter, text or phone call—that claims to be from SSA or the OIG, please contact your local Social Security office, or call Social Security’s toll-free customer service number at 1-800-772-1213, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to verify its legitimacy (TTY number at 1-800-325-0778). Citizens may -also- report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!
Gwen S.
I keep getting letters saying I have been overpaid and when I send back a letter saying I want to appeal it they send me a letter and drop it. I have been to social security office and nothing happens. Now for the third time this year it is happening again. They say I owe them $5500 and I don’t I am filling out papers again it is like harrassment. The numbers don’t match the money I am getting at all and it takes forever to get through this time I am going to try to get a lawyer. I think I am being targeted or something.
R.F.
Hello Gwen. Unfortunately, but for security reasons, we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Please continue working with your local office. You can request to speak with the manager to see how we can help to expedite resolution of your situation.
If you are unable to visit the local office, you can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213, representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Thanks!
Genevieve J.
I have also received two such phone call that states that there is a fraudulent problem with my SS and if l do not call immediately,l will stop receiving my checks. They need to verify my information……
R.F.
Hello Genevieve. Social Security Administration (SSA) employees occasionally contact citizens by telephone for customer-service purposes. An SSA employee may call you in limited situations, such as if you recently filed a claim or have other Social Security business that are pending. In only a few limited special situations, usually already known to the citizen, an SSA employee may request the citizen to confirm personal information over the phone.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which receives and analyzes public complaints related to identity theft, recently reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) an increase in reports of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be SSA employees.
If a person receives a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, citizens may report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online via https://oig.ssa.gov/report. Thanks!